The Crow: City of the Dead
by Johnny C
Summary: A tale of woe, the loss of lives and love that had once been strong enough to defy all odds, except for that of jealousy, the worst of all sins. Warning: Strong content, not suitable for children.
1. The Beginning

I've noted that no one seems to bother writing fics about a female Crow.. so I guess I will. :) Oh yeah..the story's not copyrighted to me so don't sue.. and the characters in it are mine.. so don't steal. :)  
  
Warning: Strong content.. rape and shtuff.. necessary to the reason why my character would come back to seek revenge.. otherwise it just would've been kind of boring. Much apologies if it offends you.. this is the only part of the story that gets so bad.. so bear with me and keep reading. :)  
  
The Crow  
  
Black. The deep shadows of nothing more than an inky darkness that one's eyes could not even hope to penetrate. I couldn't see anything, I couldn't feel anything, my senses seemed to be dead. What was going on? How long have I been here? Am I... am I dead? No, I'm somewhat concious, thinking perfectly clear, I couldn't be dead, could I? But then again, I just might be. I can't feel my heartbeat, I can't feel that special bond I had with my love. Those gentle threads of life that strung us both together, one soul in two bodies, was gone. It hurt so bad, to feel that your soulmate was gone, it nearly tore me in pieces. There's a feeling, complete agony, coursing through every vein in my body, mayhaps I was still alive afterall. There was still darkness, but my senses were starting to come back to me. I could smell the fetid stench of decay all around me, that wasn't me was it? I couldn't be rotting. I suddenly started choking, gasping for air; my lungs were burning. Finally I could see again, the grey of a cloud filled sky, and the sad tombstones of those who were no more. I had just crawled out of my own grave.  
  
"What...?"  
  
I blinked. My deep, sapphire eyes were hurting because I could not take even the wan light that filled the foggy air. I must have been down there so long to be hurt by such a pathetic excuse for sunlight; but if I was buried for so long, then how the hell am I still alive? I surely would have suffocated. I shifted my gaze to the marker that was mine and dragged in a painful breath.  
  
Rachel R. Hackett  
R.I.P.  
August, 25 1980  
to  
December 23, 1999  
  
Oh lord, I've been dead for over a year, and I was only nineteen when I was killed! What happened? I couldn't remember. I finally broke down in sobs, covering my face with my dirty hands, hot tears mixing with the soil that was plastered to my face, turning it muddy, and clotting it. I started remembering things then, like my love, the special bond I shared with him, and the absence of that force that wove us tightly together. I started crying again, then looked to the headstone that sat gently next to mine. I screamed.  
  
Chandler T. Brown  
R.I.P  
February 20, 1981  
to  
December 23, 1999  
  
Chandler had only been eighteen, a year younger than I. He was my Prince, my everything; my lover, my confidant, and my life's companion. He was gone, so was the bond that we shared. How could I not be dead after the loss of such a bond?! When someone experiences such a wondrous thing as a bonding; rarely does one survive the death of their other half. I must not have survived, otherwise I wouldn't have been buried, right? Maybe I was the Crow. I have heard the myths, and legends about how a crow carries a soul to the land of the dead, but sometimes, just sometimes, that soul can't rest, and they are brought back to put the wrong things right. Is that what is happening? If so, then why can't I remember anything? And where is the crow that is to become my guide.  
  
I heard a sudden squawking and a flutter of wings. A glint of pure ebony flew past, then landed upon my tombstone. Deep amber eyes gazed into mine, and I could all of a sudden see what that crow saw, as well as what I did. It was a strange and wonderful experience. The bird had something in its beak, it gleamed a golden color in the light. It was a ring. Oh god it was all coming back to me now; and now that I was gaining memories, my anger was beginning to boil up inside me, blood of the fallen and raped crying out for revenge. I had been viciously murdered, as did my love. The bird squawked again, obviously wanting me to take the ring, so I held out a trembling hand, and watched as the simple, yet beautiful band of gold dropped into my palm. I hurredly slipped it on, gazing at the small diamond that was embedded into it. I didn't bother reading the inscription, I knew what it said. "Be eternally mine, and all of your dreams shall come true." I cried more as I was forced to relive all that had happened to us.  
  
************************  
  
"Does it get you sweaty?"   
  
Deep brown eyes drilled heavily into the girl's, filled with hunger, anger, and complete insanity. His full lips pressed harshly down onto her soft carnation mouth, taking blood as he bit deeply into her flesh. A scream echoed through the halls of the loft-apartment, upsetting the balance in her bond with her lover. Her clothes were ripped from her supple body, discarded in a heap by the fireplace, covered in crimson liquid that had seeped from wounds made by an incredibly sharp knife. She trembly under the weight of her assailant, sobs bubbling from her throat as he entered her and then pulled out repeatedly, slamming so hard that he drew even more blood. There was no hope for survival now; not even if her soulmate returned to save her. She had lost too much of the fluid that gave her life.   
  
"Please.."  
  
She begged softly, biting her lower lip to keep from screaming again. The second spirit she shared her bond with, the being she shared her body with as well, flickered and died. She had just lost the child that had been growing within her womb. Finally she could not hold it in any longer, she screamed a cry that upset the heavens, as well as every level in hell. A quick blow to the head shut her up, made her vision swim and made her stomach lurch. Her attacker raised himself from her badly beaten body, and another man took his place, entering and violating her sanctity as what had happened not a minute before. This happened to her three more times, making her death a difficult and painful one; one that no one should ever have to experience.   
  
"Sit her up."  
  
A harsh voice barked. All at once she recognized every face that stared into her's; they had once been friends. Her first love, Paul was there, as well as his friend Cody, then there was Kyle, Travis, Matt, and finally Jason. Two of those were Paul's brothers, and horrible creatures for allowing their younger sibling to become a murderer. Groggily, she glanced to the side, seeing that her love was tied to one of the beams that kept the roof from caving in, badly beaten and cut; and they were not done with him yet. The girl would have thrown herself forward to help, but she was too weak from her experience, and too devastated at losing all that she had.   
  
Her lover's body dissapeared in the midst of their attackers, and stayed that way for a long while as the girl cried in pain, curled up in the fetal position. Paul barked another order and her head was snapped up to see the work they had done to her boyfriend; and it truly was an awful thing to lay eyes upon. Chandler was dead, obviously, no one would have survived what they had done to him. His heart was nailed to the post just above his head, a great yawning gap in his belly, spilling his intestines over the floor. His face wa sliterally gone, the skin that had once masked what was beneath now lay at her knees, eyeless sockets staring sadly up into her dulled orbs. They let her stare at what they had done to her other half for a few minutes, then shoved her up against a post that was parallel to the first, strapping her to it. With a few snips of a pair of scissors, her eyelids were gone, laying at her feet, and shorts, deep gashes along the whites of her eyes were glaringly obvious. They did this so that she would have to stare at what they had done to her love while she bled to death. She died an hour later, tears streaming down her cheeks. Their bodies were not to be found until they had already begun to decompose.  
  
*************************************  
  
I screamed, sending birds that had been hiding in the trees, fleeing in terror. My fingers clawed at the dirt, upsetting the dry soil beneath my palms. Why had that happened to me? WHY?!! It wasn't fair! No human should EVER have to go through what I had been through! I sat in the dirt for a few more minutes before I pushed myself to my feet, a look of murder in my eyes. The blood in my veins was boiling, and everything around me screamed that I needed to take revenge upon those who had stolen from me. And I would. They would be sorry that they ever set foot into that loft-apartment, and desacrated everything I thought holy. My crow squawked angrily, feeling everything that I felt, as angry as I was, and crying for revenge as the trees and the air did. Soon all would be right in the world again, because of a legend that had come to reality. The Crow.  
  
My betrayers would die.  
  



	2. Memories

(The next chapter in my story of woe. e.e God I sound all Goth and shit.. and yeah yeah.. I know there's some stuff in here from the Rune Blade Trilogy, but I just thought it was incredibly beautiful and went so well with my story. That stuff is (C) to Ann Marston)  
  
I stumbled wearily through the streets of the city, it had no name to me, for I did not care. All I cared was to exact the revenge of my lover, my unborn child, and my violated spirit. Paul Thomas, Cody Forest, Jason Thomas, Matt Thomas, and Kyle Runnings would pay dearly for the evil they had done. They would pay with their lives, and they would suffer. The crow flew above me, landing every so often to wait for its soul to catch up. Finally it landed on a pair of black boots that had been discarded; I slipped them on and tied them so they would not come off my small feet. They fit well enough, snug against the slender appendages, quickly warming up with the body heat that was finally returning. Now all I needed was to find some suitable clothing; all I wore was a tattered ivory dress that was going to be the wedding gown I wore at my funeral.   
  
I staggered through alleyways for a few more minutes before stopping outside of an old abandoned building. I had lived in this community once, so many happy memories had been made here, and then lost. I tore the boards off the front door and slid through the small hole I made, picking my way through debris. The stairs were close by, thankfully, and I headed up them, stumbling when one of the steps gave out. Ten stories later I was outside of the door that led up to the loft that I had one dwelled in, where my lover had been as well. I choked back a sob and broke the door down, stepping inside and taking in every detail. Obviously the room had been burned, furniture was ruined, charred, and the walls were covered in melted wallpaper and photos of happiness. I sighed.  
  
"It was not meant to be this way.."  
  
I said softly to myself, then began to rummage through things. In the armoir, I found an old halloween costume; I had been a female version of the Crow from the movie, later hearing that Eric Draven might have been a real person, and decided to make some fun of it. Little did I know that I would become what was once believed to be only fairy tales. Grim ones at that. I pulled out the tight, leather shirt and slipped it on. It accented my curves quite nicely, although I didn't much care how I appeared. The sleeves were long, with two strings at the ends so that I could tie them around my middle fingers, then dipped back to my wrist in a diagonal line, leaving my fingers bare, but covering the back of my hands and my palms. I smiled, the outfit of the black night would certainly drive fear into my enemies. I grabbed the pants next, pulling on the patin leather clothing. They were tight as well, shining in the light that filtered through a gigantic circular window that was not more than ten feet away; the bottom of each legs spanned out in the shape of a bell, giving them the name of bell-bottoms. My crow had a good sense of fashion, reminding me of Chandler, he had been good at choosing clothing as well; the boots went well with the rest of my outfit. Now time for the makeup.  
  
I made my way over to the vanity table, which has been left surprisingly unscathed. My trembling hands fumbled through the drawers until I had found what I was looking for, dumping the ghostly coverup, and ebony lipstick out onto the mirrored top of the counter. I took in a deep breath to steady myself, then dipped two of my fingers in the gooey white of the makeup, then began to apply it. After a few moments I was finished, then quickly applied the black lipstick, finishing rather hurriedly. I took a step back and admired myself, grinning into nothingness as I noted how much of a freak I must look like. With a laugh, I sauntered back over to the armoir and pulled out my lover's old trench coat and slipped it on. I could almost smell him, that overpowering scent of spices; it made me yearn for the good old days. Once again I was sent back into painful memories of the past, of when I had still been alive and happy.  
  
*********************  
  
The girl sat on the edge of the bed, waiting anxiously for her boyfriend to come home from work. She wore little more than a white teddy that laced up the front, showing most of her perfect breasts. Her long legs were bare as well, covered in a slightly perfumed lotion to make them soft to the touch, and very pleasing to a man. Her lips were painted in a gentle pink, barely giving off a shine; she had done her makeup so that it was not overly noticeable, so that it enhanced her features just so. Her hair was pinned up in a loose bun on the back of her head, she had used pencils, because she did not have anything else to use. She didn't like spending her money on little trinkets that she could make herself.   
  
She had lit candles, setting them on the nightstands, tables, and shelves, all of them lightly scented in the same fragrance. Transparent scarves had been thrown over lamps, to create an alluring atmosphere, and rose pettles had been scattered on the bed, and in a trail leading from the front door, to where she sat right then. This was a special night, and she had decorated the apartment to fit the mood. It would be the first time her love and her had come together, to show each other how much they were in love, and to complete the bond that had been almost completely finished. Her heart ached for him to come home, and she knew that he could feel it too, as he felt most of her moods and thoughts. They were connected in such a special way, that not even death could seperate them.   
  
"My love?"  
  
His voice echoed through the entire apartment, and by the sudden trembling through the threads of their bond, she could feel that he was quite startled at the appearance of his home. It wasn't a bad feeling, he quite enjoyed it when the surprise settled. Quickly he followed the trail of flowers to the bed he shared with a gorgeous creature, and stopped when he saw what was laying upon the satin sheets. She was lovely, and immediatly he could feel a tightening in the crotch of his trowsers.  
  
"It is time."  
  
She said softly, her tone playful as she sat up, then placed her narrow feet upon the hardwood floor. The girl pushed herself into a standing position, then made her way to her love and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her lips desperately searched for his, finally finding them, and locking together in a passionate kiss.   
  
"Oh I missed you.."  
  
She gasped as she slipped her love's shirt over his head, exposing his well-built torso. She ran her slender fingers along his smooth chest, then lowered her lips to a breast and sucked gently on the nipple; her tongue flicked across the tip every so once in awhile, making the man jump lightly in ecstasy. In a moment, his pants were gone, revealing on a pair of Grinch boxers with the green furred face of the Grinch himself. Child-like his love had to admit, but they were only one thing that made up his charming personality. He pulled back suddenly, shushing the girl's protests, then went down to one knee and fumbled through his trousers. When he finally found what he was looking for, he lifted it up, and opened it; inside was a simple, but beautiful gold ring, with a single, tiny diamond embedded into it. The inscription on the inside read: Be eternally mine, and all of your dreams shall come true. A smile darted across his thick, beautiful lips, then parted as he began to speak.  
  
"Rachel Rene'e Hackett, my soul lies in the palm of your hand."  
  
"Chandler Tennant Brown, your soul is sheltered safe within my hands and my heart. I am your's for all time, nothing can ever come between us."  
  
She said softly, accepting his proposal of marriage. A tear slid down her cheek, and once again they embraced and kissed. They made love that night, their bodies twining together, fitting perfectly against one another. That night did they become one, finalizing their bond, and merging into one being. Each one had begun to think how hard it was to know where they began, and ended.   
  
*******************  
  
I found myself sitting in the rubble of the burned bed, my eyes watering, and my heart yearning for that night I had given myself to Chandler. It would happen again soon enough, when I finished my task, I would be sent back to spend all eternity with my lover, never leaving his side again. My soul shuddered suddenly, and then I could feel that fine thread that made me who I was, the one I had shared with Chandler. I sat upright, my eyes wide, searching every corner of the loft for my lost love. I could feel him, but I couldn't see him.  
  
"My love!! Chandler?!"  
  
I yelled, then dropped to my knees and sobbed, I could feel him, but I could not lay my eyes upon his wondrous form. Until I had almost given up. He stepped out of nowhere, his gentle body glowing in a beautiful light. I smiled when I saw him, my eyes tearing up, tears of happiness; maybe I would not have to do my deed afterall. But I was wrong. He had come back to guide me down the path, to tell me where my first victim lay, to remind me what reward I would receive when I put the wrong things right. I would receive ultimate happiness in his arms, and it would be as though we had never died, going on with out lives in a plane that needed not money or power, merely love and happiness.  
  
"I love you.."  
  
And then he dissapeared, leaving a gentle kiss upon my parted lips. My eyes closed, keeping the tears back as I stood and swept silently from the apartment. Chandler had told me where to find Kyle, in a local bar, getting as drunk as humanly possible. I would find him, and I would do away with him; not exactly in the same fashion as he had murdered my love and I, but ten times more painful. He would scream for mercy, and I would release him, sending him to Hellas where he had been born. 


	3. Cleansing

( BIRDY!!! *Shriek* )  
  
I am the Crow. I am a walking disease, a disease called death. There are only five people on my list, and they are already dead; they just don't know it yet. My first victim shall be Kyle Runnings, one of Paul's good friends, and his drug runner. There is another reason why the boy must die. At the moment, he should be down at a local pub, drinking hard liquor to his heart's content. He will be a most easy target when he finally steps out of the bar, stumbling back to where his small band of demons do their business.  
  
The crow's amber eyes caught sight of my target, finding his location, and noting that he was having trouble even standing up. The black feathered bird swooped down low, flying straight past the walking corpse and landing gently on a lightpost not five feet away from where he had collapsed. It squawked angrily, large eyes rolling around in its tiny head, taking in every detail in case there may be more of the gang lurking about somewhere. It was safe for me to come down and lure my prey into the dark depths of the alley he lay so close to.   
  
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven thou art sure no craven. Ghastly, grim, and ancient raven, wandering from the nightly shore. Tell me what the lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore. Quoth the raven, "Nevermore." "  
  
I murmured, quoting Edgar Allen Poe's the Raven. My feet barely made a sound as I dropped down to the ground, my hands planted firmly before me, my messy burgundy hair dropping in clumped locks in front of my face, making me look as thought I were quite mad. I was in a way, the insanity of the wrong I was shown came to mind, the look of terror on my love's face before they ripped it off, and the horror that I went through before I died. Tonight one of them shall pay, and the next night another shall, until a week has passed and every walking dead man is shown the way to death's door; then I shall join my lost fiance.   
  
I stood finally, my head lowered, yet my eyes stayed locked onto the man who was laying upon the dirty ground. He stared back at me with a look of recognition in his eyes, it had not taken him too long to realize that I should be six feet under. I guess my face must be quite unique if, after a year, one of the people who killed me could remember it. A sardonic smile played across my full, black painted lips as I stepped forward, throwing my arms down and grabbing Kyle by his jacket. I hauled him effortlessly to his feet and dragged him into the dark depths of the alley, so that no passerby would have to watch what I was going to do to him. My crow followed, cawing loudly, then landing upon my shoulder; my hatred was in its eyes as they bored into the poor soul whom I held in my arms. It was a strange feeling then, I felt that I wanted to peck out his eyes, yet I knew that it was only what the crow wanted, and the crow only wanted that because I wanted to cause the man pain. The bird was linked to me, albeit temporarily; yet it was still strange to have a connection to something that was not my other half. I still felt empty and it was awful. Oh well, I would have to take it out on my assailant.  
  
"Tell me, Kyle. Do you remember this face? And what you did to it?"  
  
I asked quietly, watching as the drunk began t tremble fearfully, whimpering softly. I looked down, one brow arching as a wet spot on his jeans began to grow larger and larger. He'd just pissed himself. Well, at least he didn't take a load in his pants, that would have made my job so much more unpleasant. With a chuckle, I leaned forward and searched him, looking for any weapons he might have on his person. I found a gun, as well as the same knife that was used to stab me, and gut my lover. It would do nicely.  
  
"Ahh, I remember this beauty. It's the same one you used a year ago. Is it not?"  
  
Kyle was still shaking, his eyes wide as dinnerplates, and his mouth hanging open as if he'd seen a ghost. Well, I guess he did see a ghost, in a way. I AM supposed to be dead afterall. With a sigh, I let him drop to the ground, then began walking around him, pulling his legs out, and his arms to the sides so that he was laying like he were about to be crucified. I pursed my lips gently, wondering how I was going to go about this, then decided to work from the feet up; in a way. I decided that there was nothing below the knees that would cause too much distress, so I started by cutting his jeans off, careful to keep my distance from the urine that had soaked into the thick material. There he was, vulnerable in every way possible. His private parts showed clearly, and he had not much to be proud of, but I knew it would still hurt when I relieved him of what made him a man. It was a long and bloody process, torturing this poor fool, yet I knew that he had to feel what Chandler and I felt when he slaughtered us. Just as his friends will feel. Soon I was done, I had all three pieces separated, and listening as Kyle screamed in agony. it filled my heart with joy to know that I was avenging my lover's death, doing what I had been called back to Earth to do. The actual process was hard, I didn't much like killing, but if I didn't, I would never get to see my soulmate again.   
  
"Now.. if you just wouldn't struggle anymore-"  
  
I was cut off by a surprise attack by Jason. Apparently Kyle and him had been drinking together, and had been unlucky enough to stumble across us. I flew into the wall behind me, my head hitting the brick with a sickening crack. With a grunt, I fell to my hands and knees, spitting up blood. Almost immediatly I felt the wound on the back of her head stitching back together; the blood that I had lost from that nasty gash seeped back into place and once again I was unhurt. I stood up, a nasty glare in my eyes, my lips pulled back in a wolfish grin, and a long string of saliva dangling from my mouth. I surged forward and attacked. I was much stronger than I looked now, and grabbed Jason by his hair, twirling around a few times before I let him go, sending him into the same wall he threw me at. The extremely large man left a crack in the brick wall when he hit, then fell in a heap to the ground. I would deal with him later.   
  
"Moron.."  
  
I spat, then turned to Kyle who was attempting to get up and make a run for it. Immediatly I snatched up the fallen knife, then hurled myself at the escapee, driving the blade deep within his abdomen. It was then that I tore upwards, spilling most of his intestines. I looked around quickly, then caught sight of the fire escape, and grinned. My moves were fast as I caught the still live Kyle and leaped up, grabbing hold of the metal ladder and hauling myself, and him up onto the platform. I made sure he was securely placed, so that he wouldn't slide off if I were to attempt to hang his friend with the surprisingly strong intestines that were hanging out. When I was done there, I watched as Kyle died in agony, then jumped down to fetch my other victim, dragging him till we were under the 'rope'. I did my best to drag him up to the platform as well, being that he's incredibly heavy, it was alot of trouble. When I finally got him up there, I tied the cord around his neck, then sat atop the freshly dead body, to make sure it wouldn't slide off as well, then kicked the waking Jason off the platform to let him hang. It was to my surpise that the body began to slide anyways, so I wrapped my strong legs around his neck, then held fast to the iron bars of the side of the fire escape. I strained my muscles, but I kept a firm grip, watching as the larger man struggled to get free, then tried to scream for. It worked not, for minutes later he was dead, then I let both bodies fall into a crumpled heap at the foot of the ladder. I smiled for the first time since I had been brought back. The crow seemed to feel my contentment, for it cawed in a pleasing manner, then glided over and landed on my shoulder. We both made it safely back to the loft I called my home.  
  
*********************  
  
The girl was reading a letter, her eyes wide, and a lit cigarette that wasn't being smoked in her hand. Obviously she was in some distress, otherwise she wouldn;t be trembling with fear. Tears slid down her cheeks, and suddenly she was glad that her future husband was not home to read this with her. It was from her ex; Paul. Apparently he wanted her back, and he would do anything to get her back. Rachel had always known that boy had a few screws loose, and she knew he could get violent, but how violent? She didn't know. She had actually watched him beat a kid to a bloody pulp, and the only reason he had stopped was because two rather large men had to pull him off. It was horrible.   
  
"God almighty.."  
  
She said, then turned her head to the phone as it rang. The caller ID said that it was an unknown number. She knew that she probably shouldn't pick the phone up, for fear she knew who it was, but she did anyways. The girl was right in guessing who was on the other line. It was Paul.  
  
"Come back to me Rachel." He said in a soft, dangerous tone.  
  
"You know I can't do that. I'm betrothed to another."  
  
She jumped, startled, as the door to the loft was kicked in, two large men, Cody and Jason, stumbled inside, their eyes ablaze. Matt and Kyle stepped in next, then finally Paul who held a cell-phone in his hand. He had known that she would refuse, but decided to take one more stab at it. Her eyes filled with tears, she knew what was going ot happen next, she just wish that Chandler wouldn't stumble upon the scene that was just about to take place.   
  
"Oh no.."  
  
************************  
  
Memories kept flooding into my head as I attempted to sleep. Yet I couldn;t, even the happy thoughts kept me in constant misery, as did the constant agony and spasms my body went through continued as I remembered the murders.   
  
I slept horribly the rest of the night. 


	4. Cody

I awoke with a start, wondering where the hell I was and how I got here. Then I remembered, letting a loud sob escape from my throat, filling the darkness with an increasing sense of sorrow. I had lost something so dear to me. What was it? Oh yes, my soulmate. My love. Chandler. I miss you. My eyes fluttered closed, holding back another flood of tears that was bound to spring forth from the glittering sapphire depths of my orbs. It hurt to know that I couldn't touch him whenever I wanted, to feel him, to know him inside and out. He was nowhere close to I was, or was he? It could very well be that he sat right here next to me on the floor, only I couldn't see him. Oh how I wished I could right then. I wanted him to hold me, to take all of this pain away, to make it so that I could be happy once more in his arms, and plant a soft kiss upon his lips.   
  
"I miss you."  
  
**************************  
  
She laughed aloud, running through the brightly lit apartment, a look of complete emotional ecstasy upon her soft features. Her eyes were glowing, her cheeks flushed, and her hair messy in a most alluring way. She was dressed in a simple white flowing gown, well, not a gown, although it did flow like water around her curvacious legs, and hugged tightly against her upper torso. There were no sleeves, although it had thin straps that helped keep it up. In a few moments though, they wouldn't make a difference.   
  
"Oh no!!"  
  
She laughed again as her love ran to her, taking her in his arms and running his hands down to her sides to tickle her. The girl writhed and wriggled, trying to get away, but only ended up getting her dress tangled around her legs, the straped falling down off her shoulders. She said something quickly, spitting an insult, although obviously teasing, for the man plucked her easily off her feet and tossed her gently onto the bed, then crawled up after her. Rachel threw her arms around Chandler's neck, embracing, then bringing him into a deep, loving kiss.  
  
*************************  
  
I blinked quickly, shaking my head, trying to get thos ehappy thoughts out of my mind; they hurt if I thought about them. With a sniff, I wiped the tears from my eyes, then stood and made my way over to the charred door of the closet. Everything inside was burned, except for a box that was buried deep within the confines of the little room. I pulled it out, then sat in front of the fireplace and took the lid off, staring down into several packages of pictures and photo albums. I smiled and pulled my favorite picture out. It was of Chandler and I in an unnaturally lighted room, holding each other gently, dressed in the clothes we would've worn on our wedding day. I had never believed in that silly superstition about how a groom can';t see his bride in her dress before the ceremony, it was just kind of stupid. But now that I had died, along with my lover, maybe there had been a point to that particular wives' tale.   
  
"Shit.. all of it."  
  
I heard a knock on the door, and with interest, stood up and moved towards it. As I neared my destination, the large piece of wood flew off its hinges and hit me, knocking me back and slamming me against the wall. I grunted loudly, getting tired of being pushed into walls. I could feel that several vertebrae in my back had been crushed, along with a few ribs and both of my arms; I'd thrown them up instinctivly to block the door from hitting me. I know, rather futile. After a few moments, I felt my patterns knit themselves back together, and I kicked the door away only to find myself staring Cody straight in the face.   
  
"Cody, you're as ugly as I remember you."  
  
That obviously pissed him off because he grabbed me by the shirt and threw me all the way across the room. He was stronger than he looked! Funny, I always remember him talking more; oh well, time changes people. I sighed, shaking my head and pushing myself up, I was really getting ticked off. With a growl, I leapt up and kicked against the wall, sending myself hurtling at my foe. I twisted my body suddenly, which made me spin so that I could lash my foot out at Cody, hitting him square in the face. I broke his nose in a spray of blood and cartilage, but it hadn't killed him, I didn't hit him right. With a shriek, I pulled myself out of the way of the charging Nazi wannabe, then lashed my foot out again, getting him in the small of the back and sending him sprawling to the ground.   
  
"Big guy like you, I thought you'd be kind of a challenge."  
  
I grinned, and then my crow cawed a warning, but I caught it too late. Cody had pulled out a revolver and began pumping me full of lead. Shit, I thought, this just totally fucked up my costume. I stumbled backwards, pain lancing up and down my body. I hadn't realized that I'd been standing in front of the large, round window that let light filter into the loft. I fell through. Glass fell with me as I plummeted towards the ground, thinking only of how I had failed Chandler. A tear came to my eye, I had been crying so much lately, I really needed to get over myself, I was turning into a pussy.   
  
Worry not, Dead One. You will not die again tonight.   
  
Who the hell was that? Whoever it was really needed to get out of my head. I don't like it when people intrude upon my privacy. I contemplated this before I hit the ground with a sickening splat, blood and other bodily... things flying all over the place. Every bone in my body had broken, my guts had spilled out from a few orifaces in my body, and my eyes had popped out of their sockets. Fuck, I thought, this really isn't good for the makeup or the costume. For some reason, I really didn't care that I had just been thrown out of a window, somehow I knew that I wouldn't die. Then I remembered, the crow and I were linked in a special way, he could hear what I thought, and I could hear him. It was rather interesting. I lofted my head to see the big black bird descending out of the window, gliding down towards me. Then a few seconds later, black was all I saw. 


End file.
